Portioner mist management assembly

ABSTRACT

Mist management systems are configured for a processing machine having a portioning station configured to portion a workpiece within an enclosed portioner housing having a first side wall extending along the portioning station, a second side wall, at least one hood portion between the first and second side walls, and at least one end wall between the first and second side walls, using at least one liquid jet cutter and a conveyor configured to move the workpiece in a longitudinal direction beneath the at least one liquid jet cutter. The systems may include a tray secured within the enclosed portioner housing beneath the at least one liquid jet cutter and the conveyor, the tray being downwardly angled and configured to direct a waterjet of the liquid jet cutter toward a low pressure plenum chamber positioned external to the first side wall of the enclosed portioner housing.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/931,282, filed Jul. 16, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/824,963 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,751,902), filedNov. 28, 2017, the disclosures of both of which are expresslyincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Waterjet portioner machines are commonly used in the food industry forcutting products, such as chicken, beef, pork, or fish. A high pressurestream of water can easily cut through meat products, without abrasives,at pressures from about 30,000 psi to over 80,000 psi. The jet of water(the “waterjet”) leaving the waterjet nozzle may be moving at about 4000ft/second, or mach 3.5.

The waterjet streams are generated by pumping the water at the highpressure through a very fine diamond or ruby nozzle with an orificediameter generally ranging from 0.004″ inches to 0.01 inches. Anyremaining liquid portion of the water jet must be drained from themachine. However, not all the liquid remains as part of the water jet.

Rather, as the high pressure water jet stream leaves the orifice, it isgenerally coherent for a few inches, but it then begins to “break up” asthe stream travels further from the orifice. As a result, mist is formedcoming off the water jet stream, accompanied by sound waves. Moreover,when a water jet stream strikes a hard surface, it will break upcompletely into mist and droplets, wherein the droplets may be deflectedat different angles into the interior of the machine depending on theangle of the hard surface they impact.

The mist in a waterjet portioner is unusual in that it can be a mixtureof air, steam, and very fine droplets. The dynamics of this mix are verycomplex. The water under high pressure can be heated to hightemperatures, such as one hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit to onehundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit (150° F.-180° F.). Some of theheat can then be consumed in the rapid evaporation of water fromenormous surface area of the droplets. The simultaneous mass and heattransfer of a non-standard fluid in rapid motion presents a difficultair handling problem for the evacuation and control of the mists. Forinstance, the mist from the water jet expands into a very large volumewhen it is generated, into an area of the machine that is generallyenclosed for safety reasons. This large volume of mist that iscontinuously generated must be continuously evacuated from the enclosedarea of the machines for a number of reasons.

One reason for continuous mist evacuation is that the mist wouldotherwise interfere with any vision/scanning system of the machine. In awater jet portioner machine, product is typically first carried past avision/scanning system (which may have a light source(s) and acamera(s)), and then into the enclosed portioner housing where typicallyup to eight water jet cutters cut the product. Mist can migrate to areaswhere the vision system operates, interfering with the vision system'sview of the product by either simply obscuring the view (i.e., theproduct cannot be seen by the camera(s) through the cloud of mist), orby condensing on the windows that protect the camera(s) and lightsource(s).

Another reason for continuous mist evacuation is that the visibility ofthe operators looking inside the cut housing can be severely limited bythe mist. This makes troubleshooting of issues during production byoperators and service personnel more difficult.

Additionally, mist can condense on the surfaces of the portioner housingabove the product being conveyed, and drip onto the product, leading tohygiene concerns.

In seafood and poultry processing, it is not uncommon for the product tobe in contact with water. For red meats and other products, there ismuch more emphases on keeping product dry. Water on red meat surfaceswill promote browning of the meat surface due to oxidation.Additionally, there may be more strict regulations on labeling of waterthat is picked up by red meat than with poultry or seafood. Therefore,another reason for mist reduction and control is that it is especiallyimportant and beneficial for red meat processing.

Based on at least the foregoing, it can be appreciated that a mistmanagement system and method thereof for a waterjet portioner or thelike is desired. Such a mist management system and method may improvevisibility into the machine, reduce condensation, minimize interferencewith the scanning system, and improve hygiene and processing efficiency,while remaining easy to clean, inspect and sanitize.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features ofthe claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid indetermining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

A mist management system for a processing machine includes a pressuredistribution assembly configured to evacuate mist from a portion of theprocessing machine into a plenum using pressure differences between theportion of the processing machine and the plenum. In one aspect, thesystem further includes a mist directing assembly configured topurposefully direct mist toward the plenum using movement and momentumof the mist.

A mist management system for a processing machine includes a portioningstation configured to portion a workpiece with at least one liquid jetcutter and a conveyor for moving the workpiece beneath the portioningstation. The mist management system includes a pressure distributionassembly configured to evacuate mist from the portioning station into aplenum using pressure differences between the portioning station and theplenum. In one aspect, the system further includes a mist directingassembly configured to purposefully direct mist within the portioningstation toward the plenum using movement and momentum of the mist.

A method of managing mist within a processing machine includes conveyinga workpiece to a portioning station, activating at least one liquid jetcutter, creating a low pressure chamber in pneumatic communication withthe portioning station through at least one orifice, and directing airtoward the low pressure chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of a processing machine having a mistmanagement system formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the processing machine and mistmanagement system of FIG. 1 , showing front doors of the machineremoved, wherein a portion of the conveyor belt is not shown forclarity;

FIG. 3 is a front isometric view of a portion of the processing machineand mist management system of FIG. 1 , wherein a portion of the mistmanagement system is shown exploded;

FIG. 4 is an isometric exploded view of the portion of the mistmanagement system shown exploded in FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 5 is a rear isometric view of the processing machine and mistmanagement system of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 is a rear partial isometric view of the processing machine andmist management system of FIG. 5 , showing rear doors of the machineremoved and a portion of the machine broken away;

FIG. 7 is a front partial view of the processing machine and mistmanagement system of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 8 is a top partial view of the processing machine and mistmanagement system of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 9 is a side partially broken away view of the processing machineand mist management system of FIG. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings, where like numerals reference like elements, is intended as adescription of various embodiments of a mist management system andmethod and is not intended to represent the only embodiments. Eachembodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an exampleor illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageousover other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein arenot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the preciseforms disclosed. Similarly, any steps described herein may beinterchangeable with other steps, or combinations of steps, in order toachieve the same or substantially similar result.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments ofthe present disclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art,however, that many embodiments of the present disclosure may bepracticed without some or all of the specific details. In someinstances, well-known process steps have not been described in detail inorder not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Further, it will be appreciated that embodiments of thepresent disclosure may employ any combination of features describedherein.

The present application may include references to “directions,” such as“forward,” “rearward,” “front,” “back,” “ahead,” “behind,” “upward,”“downward,” “above,” “below,” “top,” “bottom,” “in,” “out,” “extended,”“advanced,” “retracted,” “proximal,” “distal,” etc. These references andother similar references in the present application are only to assistin helping describe and understand the present disclosure and are notintended to limit the present invention to these directions.

The present application may also include modifiers such as the words“generally,” “approximately,” “about”, or “substantially.” These termsare meant to serve as modifiers to indicate that the “dimension,”“shape,” “temperature,” “time,” or other physical parameter in questionneed not be exact, but may vary as long as the function that is requiredto be performed can be carried out. For example, in the phrase“generally rectangular in shape,” the shape need not be exactlyrectangular as long as the required function of the structure inquestion can be carried out.

Moreover, the present disclosure describes a “mist” management system.Any reference to “mist” should be interpreted to include at least one ofmist, droplets, drainage fluid, gas (such as air), steam, etc., and anycombination thereof. Moreover, the fluid that makes up the mist mayinclude water, liquid nitrogen, or any other suitable liquid or fluid.Further, the system and method disclosed in the present application anddefined in the present claims, though specifically applicable toworkpieces or food items, may also be used outside of the food area. Theworkpiece may be a food product, such as meat, poultry, or fish, oranother type of product, such as, for example, fabric, rubber,cardboard, plastic, wood or other types of material. Accordingly,“workpieces” may include non-food items.

A mist management system and method formed in accordance with anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown incorporatedinto an exemplary processing machine 20 for scanning and portioning aworkpiece (not shown). Referring to FIG. 1 , the exemplary processingmachine 20 will first be briefly described. The processing machine 20generally includes a scanning station 24, a portioning station 28, anupstream conveyor belt 32 for carrying the workpiece to the scanningstation 24, and a scanning/portioning conveyor belt 36 for conveying theworkpiece beneath the scanning and portioning stations 24 and 28 (only aportion of the scanning/portioning conveyor belt 36 is shown forclarity).

With respect to scanning, the workpieces are inspected at the scanningstation 24 to ascertain physical parameters of the workpiece pertainingto size and/or shape of the workpieces. Such parameters may include, forexample, the length, width, aspect ratio, thickness, thickness profile,contour, outer contour configuration, perimeter, outer perimeterconfiguration, outer perimeter size and shape, and/or weight. Thescanning station 24 may be of a variety of different types, includingvideo cameras to view the workpiece illuminated by one or more lightsources (not shown), such as in the scanning systems shown and describedin U.S. Patent Application No. 62/431,374, U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/824,938, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,605, the disclosures of whichare hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The portioning station 28 may include suitable high-speed liquid jetcutters (liquids may include, for example, water or liquid nitrogen) forportioning and/or trimming of the workpiece. Various types of liquid jetcutters can be utilized at portioning station 28 to cut or portion theworkpiece or otherwise remove bones and other undesirable material fromthe workpiece as desired (collectively referred to as “portion” or“portioning”). For instance, one or more of the high-pressure waterjetsas disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,875,254, 5,365,186, 5,868,056, and5,927,320, and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, maybe used. In the exemplary high-speed portioning station 28, first,second, third, and fourth high-speed waterjet cutters 44 a, 44 b, 44 c,and 44 d are positioned along a length of the scanning/portioningconveyor belt 36 to achieve high throughput of the portioned/cutworkpieces. In other embodiments, two, six, or eight (or any othersuitable number, although often used in pairs of two) waterjet cuttersmay be used. Each waterjet cutter 44 a, 44 b, 44 c, and 44 d iscarried/moved by a corresponding waterjet carrier assembly 46 a, 46 b,46 c, and 46 d, which may be any suitable assembly adapted to carry acutter assembly relative to the conveyer. For instance, the carrierassemblies 46 a, 46 b, 46 c, and 46 d may be similar to the carrierassembly shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No.20170108855, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by referenceherein. Once the portioning/trimming has occurred, the resultingportions are off-loaded from the cutting conveyor and placed on atake-away conveyor for further processing or, perhaps, to be placed in astorage bin.

The waterjet cutters 44 a, 44 b, 44 c, and 44 d are housed within aportioner housing 48, which includes a front wall 62 having first andsecond windows 180 a and 180 b defined within first and second housingdoors 182 a and 182 b that are configured to selectively enclose firstand second access openings 184 a and 184 b within the front wall 62. Theportioner housing 48 also includes a rear wall 60 opposite the frontwall 62, a first hood portion 64 extending from the front wall 62, athird hood portion 66 extending from the rear wall 60, and a second hoodportion 68 extending between the first and third hood portions 64 and66. A floor 70 is defined opposite the first, second, and third hoodportions (see FIG. 9 ), a first end wall 72 (see FIG. 2 ) is definedbetween the portioning station 28 and the scanning station 24, and asecond end wall 74 is defined opposite the first end wall 72. It shouldbe appreciated that the portioner housing 48 may instead include anyother suitable configuration.

An exemplary mist management system 40 for use with the exemplaryprocessing machine 20 or any other suitable machine having a portioningstation with high-speed liquid jet cutters or any other mist-generatingtechnology will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-9 . The mistmanagement system 40 is generally configured to withdraw mist, droplets,drainage liquid, etc., from the portioner housing 48 to improvevisibility within the machine, reduce interference with other featuresof the machine (such as the scanning station), improve hygiene andmachine efficiency, and provide other benefits.

In order to better appreciate the benefits of the mist management system40 and the corresponding method of managing mist within the machine, ageneral description of the mist flow within the machine without the mistmanagement system 40 will first be described with reference to theFIGURES. In a prior art processing machine 20 not having a mistmanagement system, the high pressure water leaves the orifice of awaterjet and passes through the work product and/or the open weave metalbelt, and/or the waterjet deflects off of the work product and/or themetal belt, and/or the waterjet changes into mist as it leaves thewaterjet orifice, and/or the waterjet passes through the belt andstrikes and deflects off of the floor of the portioner machine housing,the return belt, or other structure.

As discussed above, when a waterjet stream strikes a hard surface, itwill break up into mist and droplets. As such, the deflected water wouldcreate a large volume of mist and droplets within the portioner housing.The high volume of mist and droplets, as discussed above, would createobstruction of visibility into the machine and could migrate out of aninlet covering (see inlet covering 46 in FIG. 1 ) toward the scanningstation 24, causing the issues discussed above.

The mist management system 40 of the present disclosure suitablyevacuates a large volume of mist within the enclosed portioner housingto substantially eliminate the issues discussed above. The mistmanagement system 40 generally includes a pressure distribution assemblyconfigured to help evacuate the mist using pressure differences withinthe processing machine 20, a waterjet directing assembly configured topurposefully direct mist and deflected waterjet using the movement andmomentum of the mist and/or waterjet, and a visibility assemblyconfigured to improve visibility into the portioner housing duringoperation.

The pressure distribution assembly of the mist management system 40,which is generally configured to help evacuate the mist from theportioner housing 48 using pressure differences within the machine, willfirst be described in detail. The pressure distribution assemblygenerally includes a negative pressure plenum 50 located at the rear ofthe portioner station 28 that defines a negative or low pressure plenumchamber 80 for withdrawing the mist from the portioner housing 48, andfirst and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 b defined at an upper frontportion of the portioner housing 48 for venting air into the portionerhousing 48 and directing mist toward the plenum 50.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 8 , the plenum 50 will first be describedin detail. As noted above, the plenum 50 defines a low pressure plenumchamber 80 for withdrawing mist from the portioner housing 48. Referringto FIG. 5 , the plenum 50 is generally rectangular in shape having anoverall size that is substantially the same size as the rear wall 60 ofthe portioner housing 48. The hood portion of the plenum 50 (notseparately labeled) is generally an extension of the third hood portion66 of the portioner housing 48, as shown in FIG. 9 . Moreover, theplenum 50 is of a predetermined depth (i.e., the dimension extendingsubstantially transversely to the longitudinal path of the conveyorbelts) to define a plenum chamber 80 that is suitably pressurized towithdraw mist from the portioner housing 48.

The plenum 50 may include one or more openings selectively coverable bya door or other covering for accessing the plenum chamber 80. In thedepicted embodiment, the plenum 50 includes an upper access opening 82selectively coverable by an upper door 84, and a lower access opening 86selectively coverable by a lower door 88. It should be appreciated thatthe plenum 50 may instead be any suitable size, shape, and configurationto define an interior plenum chamber configured to carry out thefunctions and provide the benefits described herein.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9 , wherein a portion of the plenum 50 has beenbroken away, the rear wall 60 of the portioner housing 48 defines partof the plenum cavity 80. The rear wall 60 includes a plurality oforifices defined along at least a portion of its length for allowingmist to flow from the interior of the portioner housing 48 into theplenum cavity 80 due to the pressure difference between the portionerhousing 48 and the plenum 50. In general, the plenum 50 is overly sizedrelative to the orifices so that the pressure drop along the length ofthe plenum is very small relative to the large pressure drop across eachrelatively small orifice.

Any suitable size, number, or arrangement of orifices may be defined inthe rear wall 60 to allow a suitable amount of mist to be evacuated fromthe portioner housing 48 during operation of the waterjet cutters 44 a,44 b, 44 c, and 44 d. In the depicted embodiment, first, second, third,and fourth orifices 90 a, 90 b, 90 c, and 90 d are defined near a bottomedge of the rear wall 60. The first, second, third, and fourth orifices90 a, 90 b, 90 c, and 90 d are substantially the same size and shape (inthe depicted embodiment, rectangular) and are spaced along the bottomportion of the rear wall 60 such that each orifice is in substantialalignment with a corresponding waterjet cutter 44 a, 44 b, 44 c, and 44d. However, the orifices may instead vary in size, shape, and locationto control and/or substantially equalize the pressure drop along thelength of the plenum 50.

In that regard, each orifice 90 a-90 d may be adjustably covered with anorifice cover 94 to increase or decrease the size of the orifice,thereby increasing or decreasing the pressure drop across the orifice.The depicted embodiment shows an orifice cover 94 covering a portion ofthe second, third, and fourth orifices 90 b, 90 c, and 90 d. The orificecover 94 is arranged on each of the second, third, and fourth orifices90 b, 90 c, and 90 d such that the size of the orifices decreases fromthe first orifice 90 a to the fourth orifice 90 d. The first orifice 90a is shown with no orifice cover 94 such that it is has its full sizeopening. The orifice cover 94 may be adjustably secured on the rear wall60 in any suitable manner, such as by passing bolts through slots in thecover 94 and securing them in the rear wall 60.

The plenum 50 further includes first, second and third floor levelorifices 98 a, 98 b, and 98 c defined near the bottom edge of the rearwall 60 (substantially at the level of the floor 70) in between thefirst and second orifices 90 a and 90 b, the second and third orifices90 b and 90 c, and the third and fourth orifices 90 c and 90 d, or atany other suitable location. As the waterjets break up they create mist,but a significant portion of the waterjet remains as water (or anotherfluid) that must be drained from the machine. Additionally, some mistcondenses into water that requires draining. Water in the portionerhousing 48 enters the plenum 50 through the floor level orifices 98 a,98 b, and 98 c and is thereafter drained. In that regard, the plenum 50includes a drain 104 defined in a corner of the plenum 50 at a slopedend of a plenum floor (not shown). The drain 104 may be in communicationwith a fluid conduit to carry the fluid to a facility drain.

The floor level orifices 98 a, 98 b, and 98 c may be substantially thesame size and shape (in the depicted embodiment, rectangular). However,the floor level orifices may instead vary in size, shape, and locationto control and/or substantially equalize the pressure drop along thelength of the plenum 50. In any event, the floor level openings 98 a, 98b, and 98 c as well as other orifices are sufficiently large to allowsmall pieces of debris to pass through, but also sufficiently smallenough to adequately restrict the air flow into the plenum forcontrolling the air flow through the machine.

Additional orifices, and specifically, first, second, third, and fourthwaterjet carrier orifices 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, and 102 d may be includedto allow the waterjet carrier assembly 46 a, 46 b, 46 c, and 46 d ofeach waterjet cutter 44 a, 44 b, 44 c, and 44 d to protrude into theplenum chamber 80. Moreover, the waterjet carrier orifices 102 a, 102 b,102 c, and 102 d help to quickly evacuate the mist formed when thewaterjet strikes the belt and/or the workpiece during the portioningprocess, as opposed to merely evacuating the mist when it reaches thelower area of the portioner housing 48.

It should be appreciated that any other suitable configuration oforifices and/or additional orifices may be included to control thepressure drop along the length of the plenum 50 and the mist flow intothe plenum 50. The size and pattern of orifices will depend upon theshape and size of the plenum, the number of waterjet cutters (e.g., fourcutters vs. eight cutters) the capacity and/or location of any suctionsource, and other factors. For instance, in a processing machine usingless than four waterjet cutters (such as two) or more than four waterjetcutters (such as eight), the orifices may be reconfigured such that thepressure drop along the length of the plenum 50 is substantially level,even with the suction force defined at one end of the plenum. In thismanner, the mist management system 40 may be used with only a singlesuction source, and thereafter configured for optimal mist evacuation.The plenum 50, with a suitable configuration of orifices, helpsdistribute pressure differences and airflow amounts along the length ofthe portioner housing 48 to manage air and mist flow.

The plenum 50 is in pneumatic communication with a suction source suchas high capacity exhaust blower or fan (not shown). The plenum 50 may bein pneumatic communication with the exhaust fan through a suitable airduct 106 having a first exhaust opening 108 suitable to be placed intocommunication with the fan, a second vent opening 110 for venting airinto the plenum 50, and a third suction opening 116 for evacuating mistand air from the plenum 50. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 8 , the thirdsuction opening 116 may include a sloped or otherwise contoured interiorsurface to direct air/mist from the plenum 50 up into the air duct 106and out the exhaust opening 108. In addition, the sloped interiorsurface of the third suction opening 116 may include one or moreopenings for placing the suction opening 116 into pneumaticcommunication with the vent opening 110.

Of course, the plenum 50 may instead be placed into pneumaticcommunication with the exhaust fan without the use of an air duct or inany other suitable manner. The exhaust fan may be located near theprocessing machine 20, in other areas of the processing facility (suchas at the outfeed end of the exhaust ducting on the roof of theprocessing facility), or at another location using ducting well known inthe art.

The exhaust fan generates negative pressure in the plenum 50 to causemist to flow into the plenum 50 (but not from the plenum into theportioner housing 48). In other words, the mist will naturally flow fromthe area of higher pressure (i.e., the portioner housing 48) to the areaof lower pressure (i.e. the plenum 50), thereby evacuating the mist fromthe portioner housing 48. The exhaust fan is of a suitable capacity tocontinuously withdraw mist from the portioner housing 48 through theplenum 50. One of ordinary skill in the art could choose a suitableexhaust fan based on at least one of the pressure of the waterjetcutters, the number of waterjet cutters used, the static pressure, themist/air density being exhausted, and other factors.

For instance, the pressure of the waterjet cutters may be between 45000PSI-85000 PSI, depending on the intended application of the portionerstation 28. Moreover, as noted above, the portioning station 28 may useonly two waterjet cutters (causing less mist generation and/or defininga smaller evacuation area than using four waterjet cutters), eightwaterjet cutters (causing more mist generation and/or defining a largerevacuation area than using four waterjet cutters), or another number ofwaterjet cutters.

The static pressure, or the amount of pressure the exhaust fan has topush and pull against to move air/mist through a duct system, will varybased on the ducting used to exhaust the air/mist. As a specificexample, the static pressure may be calculated from the size, shape,material, length, path, etc., of the ducting used to pneumaticallyconnect the plenum and the exhaust fan and/or to pneumatically connectthe exhaust fan and a facility outlet. The static pressure will alsodepend on the density of the mist/air being exhausted, which will dependupon the pressure of the waterjet cutters, the number of waterjetcutters used, the temperature of the air/mist, etc.

At least some of the above factors can be considered when choosing asuitable exhaust fan for the mist management system 40. For instance, ifa certain waterjet pressure is used (PSI), it may be determined based onexperimentation that a fan having a certain airflow (CFM) (assuming amaximum static pressure) is necessary for suitably evacuating the mistfrom the portioner station 28. As a specific example, in a portionerstation using four waterjet cutters similar to that shown in theFIGURES, each with a waterjet pressure of about 55000 PSI, a fan havingan airflow of about 2000 CFM will sufficiently evacuate mist from theportioner station (assuming a static pressure of less than about 1inWG). Moreover, using a standard fan curve available for a specificexhaust fan model, it may be determined that if the static pressure isless than a certain amount, an exhaust fan having a first predeterminedpower and output may be used, wherein if the static pressure is greaterthan a certain amount, an exhaust fan having a second, higherpredetermined power and output may be used.

In one embodiment, the exhaust fan is controlled by a variable frequencydrive (VFD), as is well known in the art, such that the fan speed can bevaried for added control and efficiency. In such an embodiment, the fanspeed can be varied to control the CFM to account for the waterjetpressure, the number of waterjets used, the static pressure, the airdensity, etc. A higher capacity fan producing a higher output CFM rangemay be needed to account for one or more of the above-noted factors. Ingeneral, using an exhaust fan of slightly higher capacity than neededwill suitably evacuate the mist from the portioner station 28. In thefour waterjet cutter embodiment depicted in the FIGURES, the inventorshave found that the PLA30ST4P model fan available from PlastecVentilation Inc., of Bradenton Fla. is suitable for evacuating mist inmost conditions. This is be exemplified in the EXPERIMENT section below.

The exhaust fan speed is of a selected minimum velocity to continuouslywithdraw mist from the portioner housing 48 and of a maximum velocity tosubstantially prevent any movement of the workpieces on the belt. If theairflow is too low, the mist may not be completely evacuated, and/or theairflow through the hood scoops 54 a and 54 b may not be sufficient todirect mist and splash away from the windows 180 a and 180 b.

If the airflow is too great, it may generate high velocities of air atcertain areas, such as the inlet and outlet of the portioner housing 48,causing movement of the work pieces and inaccurate cutting. It is alsobeneficial to minimize the air flow within the machine to minimize theamount of filtered, conditioned plant air used in evacuating theportioner housing 48. The fan speed and/or the orifices can be adjustedas needed to balance the air flow through the machine 20.

The fan speed and/or the orifices can also be configured to balance theairflow if one or more of the waterjet cutters 170 a, 170 b, 170 c,and/or 170 d are run with certain pressure levels, with certain sizedwaterjet orifices, etc. For instance, the mist volume generated by eachwaterjet cutter can differ, and the corresponding orifices in the plenum50 may be adjusted in size to accommodate a larger or smaller volume ofmist.

However, it can also be appreciated that the mist management system 40is configured to adequately withdraw mist from the portioner housing 48with many different waterjet configurations without adjustment of thefan speed and/or the orifices.

Air enters the portioner housing 48 to balance the pressure differencescaused by the exhaust fan through one or more vents or openings in theportioner housing 48. In the depicted embodiment, air enters theportioner housing 48 through the first and second hood scoops 54 a and54 b as well as one or more optional air vents, such as first, second,third, and fourth air vents 112 a, 112 b, 112 c, and 112 d. In thedepicted embodiment, the first and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 b arepositioned on the first hood portion 64 above the first and secondwindows 180 a and 180 b . The first and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 bare configured to direct incoming air downwardly toward the interior ofthe first and second windows 180 a and 180 b to help clear off anydroplets, spray, and/or condensation on the interior of the windows aswell as to help direct mist downwardly toward a portion of the waterjetdirecting assembly, as will be described below.

The first and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 b are substantiallyidentical; and therefore, only the first hood scoop 54 a will bedescribed in detail. As can be seen by referring to at least FIGS. 1, 6and 9 , the first hood scoop 54 a includes an exterior scoop body 188that is configured to inlet air into the portioner housing 48, and aninterior scoop body 190 in communication with the exterior scoop body188 that directs the inletted air within the portioner housing 48.

The exterior scoop body 188 is generally rectangular in overall shape(or any other suitable shape) and tapers in height relative to theexterior surface of the first hood portion 64 as it extends toward thefront wall 62 of the portioner housing 48. The upper, less tapered endof the exterior scoop body 188 includes an exterior scoop inlet 192defined between a downwardly or inwardly turned edge 194 and the firsthood portion 64 of the portioner housing 48. The configuration of thedownwardly or inwardly turned edge 194 can be optimized to decrease thesize of the exterior scoop inlet 192 for controlling airflow into theportioner housing 48 and for helping to redirect the sound waves of thewaterjet cutters back into the portioner housing 48. Moreover, anoptional first internal baffle 196 extends upwardly from the first hoodportion 64 toward the inwardly turned edge 194 to further decrease thesize of the exterior scoop inlet 192 and/or for redirecting the sound ofthe waterjet cutters back into the portioner housing 48.

An exterior scoop outlet 204 is defined nearer the lower, tapered end ofthe exterior scoop body 188 at an opening in the first hood portion 64.The exterior scoop outlet 204 also defines an inlet opening of theinterior scoop body 190, which includes an interior scoop outlet 208 atits opposite end that is in pneumatic communication with the interior ofthe portioner housing 48. The interior scoop body 190 is also generallyrectangular in overall shape (or any other suitable shape) and tapers inheight relative to the interior surface of the first hood portion 64 asit extends away from the front wall 62 of the portioner housing 48. Inthis manner, the interior scoop body 190 directs air downwardly acrossthe window 180 a to help clear any mist, condensation, spray, etc., aswell as downwardly toward a portion of the waterjet directing assembly(and eventually toward the plenum 50).

Additional internal baffles may be included for controlling the air flowwithin the hood scoop 54 a and/or for redirecting sound waves of thewaterjet cutters 44 a-44 d back into the portioner housing 48. Anysuitable internal baffling may be used, such as a plurality ofstaggered, opposing baffles. For instance, in the depicted embodiment, asecond internal baffle 198 may extend downwardly from the surface of theexterior scoop body 188 at a location between the first internal baffle196 and the tapered end of the exterior scoop body 188, and a thirdinternal baffle 200 may extend downwardly from the surface of theexterior scoop body 188 at a location between the second internal baffle198 and the tapered end of the exterior scoop body 188. A fourthinternal baffle 202 may extend upwardly from the surface of the interiorscoop body 190 at a location between the second internal baffle 198 andthe third internal baffle 200. As such, the air must flow through thehood scoop 54 a in a serpentine-like manner, as shown by the first andsecond flow paths 212 and 214.

The internal baffling helps control the amount and rate of air flowinginto the portioner housing 48 to appropriately remove mist, spray,condensation, etc., from the window 180 a as well as to move mist towardthe plenum 50. In addition, the staggered, opposing baffles helpredirect the sound waves of the waterjet cutters 44 a-44 d back into theportioner housing 48. In that regard, the internal baffling, inletopening size, outlet opening size, and shape of the hood scoop 54 a maybe adjusted as needed to control the air flow into the portioner housing48 and minimize the noise of the waterjet cutters.

The exterior and/or interior scoop bodies 188 and 190 may be removableattached to the portioner housing 48 for cleaning, adjustment, etc. Anysuitable structure may be used for removably attaching the exteriorand/or interior scoop bodies 188 and 190 to the portioner housing 48.For instance, the scoop body may be hingedly secured to the portionerhousing 48 at one end, and selectively securable to the portionerhousing 48 at the other end with a cam-like locking mechanism or thelike.

As noted above, air may also enter the portioner housing 48 throughoptional first, second, third, and fourth air vents 112 a, 112 b, 112 c,and 112 d. The air vents 112 a-112 d are shown located on the secondhood portion 68 and spaced substantially equally along the lengththereof. It should be appreciated that any suitable additional ventingmay be used as needed to control the air flow through the portionerhousing 48.

The waterjet directing assembly configured to purposefully direct themist toward the plenum 50 using the movement and momentum of the mistwill now be described in detail. The waterjet directing assemblygenerally includes a sound baffle assembly 130 and a deflecting panelassembly 134 removably received within a tray 138 beneath each waterjetcutter 44 a-44 d, at least one sound tube 170 a-170 d for each waterjetcutter when not in use, a specifically sloped floor 70 of the portionerhousing 48 for directing mist and condensate toward the plenum 50, and aspecifically located return belt assembly 174 of the scanning/portionerconveyor belt 36.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 9, and 10 , each sound baffle assembly 130 isgenerally configured to direct waterjet and mist from a correspondingwaterjet cutter 44 a-44 d toward at least one of the deflecting panelassembly 134, the sloped floor 70, and the plenum 50.

In that regard, each sound baffle assembly 130 is positioned beneath theportion of the scanning/portioning conveyor belt 36 that supports aworkpiece being portioned by a corresponding waterjet cutter 44 a-44 d,and the sound baffle assembly 130 is generally the same size as or isslightly larger than the waterjet cut envelope (i.e, the area in whichthe waterjet cutter can be moved to cut product on the belt).

Each sound baffle assembly 130 includes a plurality of sound baffles 142received within a baffle frame 146 that extends lengthwise substantiallyacross the width of the scanning/portioning conveyor belt 36. The baffleframe 146 is secured within first and second opposing side walls 140 and144 (see FIG. 8 ) of the tray 138 in any suitable manner, such as bysliding engagement with one or more slide rails, pins, or otherprotrusions within the interior of the tray 138.

The sound baffles 142 are generally rectangular in shape having a lengththat is substantially equal to the width of the baffle frame 146. Thesound baffles 142 are arranged transversely within the frame 146 suchthat the length of each sound baffle is substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the scanning/portioning conveyor belt 36. The soundbaffles 142 are also arranged an angle within the frame 146 (i.e.,offset from horizontal) such that portions of the waterjet will strikeone or more sound baffles 142 during the portioning process, andportions of the waterjet will pass through the sound baffle assembly130. In one embodiment, the sound baffles 142 are removably received inthe frame 146 (such as within slots) such that the sound baffles 142 maybe replaced when needed, such as when worn or when customization isneeded for certain applications.

Each sound baffle 142 is of an optimal length, thickness, width,material, etc., as well as at an optimal angle and spacing within thebaffle frame 146 to suitably deflect waterjet and mist that travelthrough the belt 32 toward the plenum 50. For instance, in one exampleusing a waterjet between about 45,000 psi and 85,000 psi, the soundbaffle assembly 130 is arranged to include sound baffles that are about2 inches×10 inches×0.25 inches thick, positioned within the baffle frame146 at angle between about forty and fifty degrees, such as a forty-fivedegree angle, and spaced about 1.25 inches apart. The spacing can beadjusted to reduce splashback from the waterjets while still allowingthe warterjets to hit a sound baffle before the waterjet starts to breakup. In such an example, the sound baffles 142 are made from a suitablehard material that is food safe, such that the sounds baffles 142 canwithstand the force of the waterjet. Using these optimal dimensions,materials, and orientations of the sound baffles 142 within the baffleframe 146, the waterjet and mist traveling through belt 36 is deflectedtoward at least one of the deflecting panel assembly 134, the slopedfloor 70, and the plenum 50 when it strikes or passes through the soundbaffles 142, as shown in the first flow path 212 shown in FIG. 9 .

The sound baffle assembly 130 also provides the added benefit ofminimizing the sound waves caused by the waterjet during the portioningprocess. Sound levels generated by the breaking up of the waterjet canreach over 100 dB, and so it will require hearing protection byoperators. The sound baffles 142 break up the waterjet before it createssubstantial noise.

The deflecting panel assembly 134 is disposed beneath the sound baffleassembly 130 for further deflecting and directing waterjet and mist thattravels through the belt 36 and the sound baffle assembly 130. Thedeflecting panel assembly 134 includes at least one elongated paneldisposed beneath the sound baffle assembly 130 that extendssubstantially across the width of belt 36 and is secured at apredetermined angle (offset from horizontal) within the tray 138. In thedepicted embodiment, the deflecting panel assembly 134 includes first,second, third, and fourth deflecting panels 150 a, 150 b, 150 c, and 150d secured within the tray 138 beneath the sound baffle assembly 130.Each deflecting panel 150 a-150 d is substantially similar, andtherefore, only the first deflecting panel 150 a will be described indetail.

The first deflecting panel 150 a includes an elongated panel body 152having a suitable length that extends substantially transversely acrossat least a portion of the conveyor belt 36 and a width that issubstantially equal to or is slightly greater than the width of thesound baffle assembly 130. A handle 154 may be defined at the first endof the body 152 (opposite the plenum 50) and a deflecting panel lip 156may be defined at the second opposite end of the body 152 that extendsdownwardly at an angle from the elongated panel body 152 a predetermineddistance. The first deflecting panel 150 a may further include one ormore notches 158 along its lateral edges or other cavities or openingsthat are configured to receive corresponding features in the tray 138for removably securing the deflecting panel within the tray 138. In thatregard, the first deflecting panel 150 a may be removably secured withinthe tray 138, such as by resting on pins, etc., such that it may bereplaced when needed. The first deflecting panel 150 a is made from asuitable material to withstand the force of the waterjet, such as hardmetal that is food safe

As can be seen in FIG. 9 , the first, second, third, and fourthdeflecting panels 150 a, 150 b, 150 c, and 150 d are secured within thetray 138 such that each deflecting panel is at an optimal slope (angleddownwardly toward the plenum 50 relative to horizontal) for redirectingthe mist and waterjet down into the plenum without consuming valuablevertical space within the portioner housing 48. Through calculation andexperimentation, it has been found by the inventors that the slope ofthe deflecting panels 150 a, 150 b, 150 c, and 150 d should be greaterthan about 10 degrees(10°)to prevent reflection of the waterjet back uptowards the belt 36 and to effectively direct the waterjet towards theplenum 50. At the same time, the slope of the deflecting panels 150 a,150 b, 150 c, and 150 d should be less than about 20 degrees (20°) tolimit the vertical fall (i.e., the vertical distance between the belt 36and the floor 70) of the portioner housing 48, which is typicallyrestricted for processing machines that are efficiently designed tostand on the processing plant floor with the portioning belt at humanoperator height. In the depicted embodiment, the first, second, third,and fourth deflecting panels 150 a, 150 b, 150 c, and 150 d are securedwithin the tray 138 such that each deflecting panel is at asubstantially fifteen degree (15°) angle relative to horizontal (angleddownwardly toward the plenum 50).

The first, second, third, and fourth deflecting panels 150 a, 150 b, 150c, and 150 d are also arranged in somewhat of a cascade fashion. In thatregard, the first deflecting panel 150 a is of a first predeterminedlength, the second deflecting panel 150 b is of a second predeterminedlength longer than the first predetermined length and is disposedbeneath the first deflecting panel 150 a, the third deflecting panel 150c is of a third predetermined length longer than the secondpredetermined length and is disposed beneath the second deflecting panel150 b, and the fourth deflecting panel 150 d is of a fourthpredetermined length that is longer than the third predetermined lengthand is disposed beneath the third deflecting panel 150 c. With thedeflecting panels arranged in this manner, the waterjet and mist thatpasses through the belt 36 and the sound baffle assembly 130 is guidedtoward the plenum 50.

Moreover, the fourth deflecting panel 150 d of each deflecting panelassembly 134 is also arranged to guide any mist, condensation, water,etc., into the plenum 50 through the corresponding first, second andthird orifices 90 a, 90 b, and 90 c. In that regard, the fourthdeflecting panel 150 d of each deflecting panel assembly 134 issubstantially the same width as each corresponding orifice 90 a, 90 b,and 90 c, and an end portion of the fourth deflecting panel 150 d (suchas a lip) can rest on the bottom edge of each auxiliary orifice 90 a, 90b, and 90 c and/or partially extend into the plenum cavity 80, as shownin FIG. 9 . The mist, condensation, water, etc., in the plenum 50 flowsout of the drain 104 defined in the corner of the plenum 50.

In an alternative embodiment, the deflecting panel assembly 134 includesonly the fourth deflecting panel 150 d. In other alternativeembodiments, the deflecting panel assembly 134 is eliminated from themist management system 40. Accordingly, the descriptions andillustrations provided herein should not be seen as limiting.

As noted above, the sound baffle assembly 130 and deflecting panelassembly 134 may be removably secured between the opposing sidewalls 140and 144 of the tray 138 in any suitable manner, such as by slidingengagement of one or more slide rails, pins, or other protrusions withinthe interior of the tray 138 with one or more notches, openings, etc.,on the sound baffle assembly 130 and the deflecting panel assembly 134(or vice versa). The tray 138 is secured within the portioner housing 48beneath the scanning/portioning conveyor 36 in any suitable manner, suchas by securing (removably or not) the opposing sidewalls 140 and 144 tothe floor 70 of the portioner housing 48 through a frame, brackets, orotherwise.

The tray 138 also includes waterjet directing features to help redirectany spray reflected from the sounds baffles 142 and/or the deflectingpanels 150 a-150 d toward the plenum 50. When the waterjet impacts oneor more of the deflecting panels 150 a-150 d, the waterjet spray willspread downhill and sideways (along the length of the belt). In thatregard, the tray 138 include first and second pairs of lateral tray lips160 and 161 defined on upper elongated edges of the opposing sidewalls140 and 144. The lateral tray lips 160 and 161 extend inwardly andslightly downwardly from the upper edges toward the sound baffleassembly 130. In this manner, any “sideways” spray deflection issubstantially contained by allowing the spray to travel up the walls 140and 144 of the tray 138 and then back downwards by the downwardly angledinterior (lower) surface of the lateral tray lips 160 and 161. Thedownwardly angled exterior (upper) surface of the lateral tray lips 160and 161 can also beneficially help direct waterjet and mist downwardlytoward the sound baffle assembly 130 and the deflecting panel assembly134.

The tray 138 also includes a tray door 162 that may be used toselectively enclose the sound baffle assembly 130 and the deflectingpanel assembly 134 within the tray 138. The tray door 162 is defined atthe front of the tray 138 (near the windows of the portioner station 28)and may be hingedly secured to the body of the tray 138 in any suitablemanner. When in a closed position relative to the body of the tray 138,a front panel 164 of the tray door 162 substantially encloses a frontopen end of the tray 138. A tray door lip 166 is defined along an upperedge of the front panel 164 and extends inwardly and slightly downwardlytoward the sound baffle assembly 130 when the tray door 162 is in theclosed position. Similar to the lateral tray lips 160 and 161, theinterior (lower) surface of the tray door lip 166 helps redirect andcontain any deflected waterjet spray traveling up the interior surfaceof the front panel 164. The downwardly angled exterior (upper) surfaceof the tray door lip 166 can also beneficially help direct waterjet andmist downwardly toward the sound baffle assembly 130 and the deflectingpanel assembly 134.

As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the sound baffle assembly 130,deflecting panel assembly 134, and tray 138 collectively direct thewaterjet of the corresponding waterjet cutter 44 a-44 d toward theplenum 50. In addition, the sound baffle assembly 130, deflecting panelassembly 134, and tray 138 collectively act as ducting for the air andmist flowing through the portioner housing 48 toward the low pressureplenum chamber 80. Moreover, the sound baffle assembly 130, deflectingpanel assembly 134, and tray 138 allow for modularization of thewaterjet directing assembly. If a waterjet cutter is added or removedfrom the portioner station 28 (such as when using two waterjet cuttersor eight waterjet cutters), a corresponding number of trays 138/soundbaffle assemblies 130/deflecting panel assemblies 134 may be added orremoved.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9 , the waterjet directing assembly furtherincludes first, second, third, and fourth sound tubes 170 a, 170 b, 170c, and 170 d configured to receive the waterjet of its correspondingwaterjet cutter 44 a-44 d when idle (i.e., when it is not being used forportioning). Each sound tube 170 a-170 d is generally configured todirect the corresponding waterjet toward the plenum 50 when idle. Inthat regard, the sound tubes 170 a-170 d are each positioned near therear wall 60 of the portioner housing 48 behind the edge of the belt 36.When the waterjet cutter is not being used to portion a workpiece, it ismoved along its respective carriage assembly 46 a-46 d off the belt 36until the waterjet of the cutter is in substantial alignment with theopening in the sound tube.

Each sound tube 170 a-170 d is positioned substantially vertically tocapture and direct the waterjet from the waterjet cutter 44 a-44 dsubstantially straight downward toward the floor 70 of the portionerhousing 48. In the depicted embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the sound tubes170 a-170 d are positioned above the deflecting panel assembly 134 suchthat the waterjet and/or mist from the waterjet cutter travels throughthe sound tube and strikes one or more of the deflecting panels of thedeflecting panel assembly 134.

The sound tubes 170 a-170 d capture the waterjets and allow them toremain intact without being broken up by the air. The intact waterjetsare then controllably broken up by the deflecting panel assembly 134and/or another portion of the waterjet directing assembly. As is wellknown in the art, the sound tubes 170 a-170 d also provide the addedbenefit of minimizing the sound waves coming off of the waterjet whenidle.

Any suitable sound tube that is either currently available or laterdeveloped may be used, such as the sound tubes shown and described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,831,224, the entire disclosure of which is incorporatedby reference herein. In one embodiment, each sound tube is about 9inches (9″) in length and is about three-quarters inches (¾″) indiameter. Each sound tube is offset from the rear wall 60 of theportioner housing 48 a minimal amount such that the waterjet from thecutter is guided toward a corresponding orifice 90 a-90 c. In thatregard, the bottom end of each sound tube is positioned about 3 inches(3″) from the bottom of the tray 138 (or about 2″ above the fourthdeflecting panel 150 d). The sound tube is preferably made from a hard,food-safe material. Moreover, the sounds tubes may instead be positionednear the front wall 64 of the portioner housing 48 in front of the edgeof the belt 36 such that the waterjets are then controllably broken upby the sloped floor 70.

In that regard, the waterjet directing assembly is further defined bythe sloped floor 70 of the portioner housing 48. In prior art processingmachines, the floor was substantially V shaped in cross section (withthe apex of the V extending along substantially the center longitudinalaxis of the conveyor belt), which causes increased deflection of thewaterjet and therefore increased generation of mist within the portionerhousing 48. More specifically, the waterjet would strike a firstdownwardly sloping portion of the floor, deflect upwardly at least inpart toward the second downwardly sloping floor portion, and thendeflect upwardly at least in part toward the belt or door. The upwardlydeflected water would create a large volume of mist and droplets withinthe portioner housing.

The inventors have found that a floor that slopes from the front wall tothe rear wall in the range of about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees helpsdirect mist at the bottom of the portioner housing 48 toward the plenum50. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the floor 70 of the portionerhousing 48 is sloped downwardly from the front wall 62 to the rear wall60 at a substantially twenty degree angle relative to horizontal.

An additional aspect of the waterjet directing assembly includeslocating the return portion of scanning/portioning belt 36 underneaththe floor 70 of the portioner housing 48. As can be seen in FIG. 9 , thereturn belt assembly 174 of belt 36 is disposed beneath the floor 70. Inprior art assemblies, the return belt assembly is typically disposedwithin the portioner housing beneath the belt 36. In such aconfiguration, the return belt assembly deflects additional mist andwaterjet that passes through the belt 36 and the workpiece. Accordingly,in the depicted configuration of FIG. 9 , the return belt assembly 174does not interfere with or otherwise deflect any mist or waterjet fromthe waterjet assembly, decreasing the overall generation of mist withinthe portioner assembly 48.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 9 , the visibility assembly of the mistmanagement system 40 will now be described. The visibility assembly isgenerally defined by suitable lighting assembly disposed within theportioner housing 48 and the first and second windows 180 a and 180 bdefined on the front part of the portioner housing 48 for allowingvisibility into the machine. The lighting assembly includes any suitablelights that can withstand the moisture, sound waves, pressurefluctuations, high pressure spray, chemicals, etc., within the interiorof the portioner housing 48, such as an LED strip, or the like.Moreover, the lights are effective to illuminate various parts of thebelt, the waterjet cutters, the high pressure lines, etc., withoutreflecting off the mist. Accordingly, the lighting combined with themist management system 40 allows increased visibility within theportioner housing 48.

In the depicted embodiment, the lighting assembly may include at leastone light 210 secured to an interior portion of the portioner housing 48that is configured to illuminate one or more high pressure valves,heads, connection lines, etc., such as high pressure valves 206. As canbe seen in FIGS. 7 and 9 , a plurality of high pressure valves 206 arepositioned on the interior of the portioner housing 48 near an upper endof the windows 180 a and 180 b . The at least one light 210 is securedto the interior of the third hood portion 66 and is configured to shinelight towards the high pressure valves 206. In this manner, the highpressure valves 160 are backlit by the at least one light 210 such thatany leaks, dripping, etc., may be easily seen by a user through thewindows 180 a and 180 b . The inventors have found that the backlightingeffect of the at least one light 210 suitably illuminates the highpressure valves 160 through the mist. It should be appreciated thatadditional lights may be used to suitably backlight any other desiredareas or components of the portioner station 28.

As noted above, the visibility assembly also includes the first andsecond windows 180 a and 180 b defined within the first and secondhousing doors 182 a and 182 b . Each window 180 a and 180 b is of asufficient size such that a typically sized person standing in front ofthe window can see the valves 160, high pressure connection lines, andother structures inside the portioner housing 48 that often requiremaintenance. Moreover, the windows 180 a and 180 b are situated beneatheach corresponding hood scoop 54 a and 54 b such that air flows into thehood scoops and down over the windows to remove any mist, condensation,etc. on the windows. The windows 180 a and 180 b are made from asuitable material to withstand the moisture and pressure fluctuationswithin the portioner housing 48, such as tempered glass.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the flow path of air, mist, etc. through theprocessing machine 20 having a mist management system 40 formed inaccordance with the present disclosure will now be described. With theplenum 50 in pneumatic communication with a suction source, such as aVFD exhaust fan, air is drawn into the portioner housing 48 through thefirst and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 b as well as through theoptional first, second, third, and fourth air vents 112 a, 112 b, 112 c,and 112 d. The first and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 b directincoming air downwardly toward the interior of the first and secondwindows 180 a and 180 b to help clear off any droplets, spray, and/orcondensation on the interior of the windows, as indicated by the firstflow path 212. The first flow path 212 shows that the air/mist may flowdownwardly toward the sloped floor 70 after passing over the first andsecond windows 180 a and 180 b and thereafter toward the plenum 50.

The first and second hood scoops 54 a and 54 b also direct incoming airand mist downwardly toward the sound baffle assembly 130 and thedeflecting panel assembly 134. The sound baffle assembly 130 and thedeflecting panel assembly 134 help guide the air and mist toward theplenum 50. Mist is also guided downwardly toward the sloped floor 70 andthereafter toward the plenum 50 by the sound tubes 170 a-170 d when thewaterjet cutters 44 a-44 d are idle.

Air, mist, water, condensate, etc., flow into the cavity 80 of theplenum 50 through the plurality of orifices defined in the rear wall 60of the portioner housing 48. More specifically, air and mist flowsthrough the first, second, third, and fourth orifices 90 a, 90 b, 90 c,and 90 d defined near the bottom edge of the rear wall 60, the first,second and third floor draining orifices 98 a, 98 b, and 98 c definednear the bottom edge of the rear wall 60, and the first, second, third,and fourth waterjet carrier orifices 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, and 102 d. Atthe same time, the water and condensate from the waterjets strikes thefourth deflecting panel 150 d of each deflecting panel assembly 134 toguide the mist, condensation, water, etc. into the plenum 50 through thefirst, second and third orifices 90 a, 90 b, and 90 c.

The air/mist within the plenum cavity 80 flows out the suction opening116 toward the exhaust opening 108. Moreover, any water, condensation,etc., drains out of the drain 104 at the bottom corner of the plenum 50.

EXPERIMENT

An experiment was conducted to observe the mist evacuation levels withina processing machine having a mist management system formed inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The processing machine had a portioner station with four waterjetcutters, substantially similar to the portioner station 28 shown in theFIGURES. The exhaust fan used was the PLA30ST4P model fan available fromPlastec Ventilation Inc., of Bradenton Fla. A static pressure of lessthan about 0.9 inches water gauge (inWG) was assumed. The air/mistdensity was not considered, but could be generally calculated as neededto select an appropriate exhaust fan for the machine configuration (suchas, for instance, by using the density of saturated air at the giventemperature and adding 10% for error, and/or using the density ofambient air with, for instance, about 50% relative humidity at the giventemperature, and then adding about 50% of the flow of the water from thehigh pressure pumps to the weight of the volume of air being evacuated).

The mist evacuation was observed using different high pressure fluidlevels, or the fluid pressure (in pounds per square inch (PSI)) to thewaterjets (the “Pump PSI”), and using different measured airflow outputcapacities of the exhaust fan by varying its speed (RPM). The measuredairflow output capacity is shown as approximate percentage of cubic feetper minute (% CFM), starting with a minimum CFM of 100%.

The test was conducted with four different mist management systemconfigurations: (1) using no sound baffles or diverter panels; (2) usingsound baffles only; (3) using diverter panels only; and (4) using soundbaffles and diverter panels. The use of sound baffles and/or diverterpanels was desired to help reduce the noise levels of the machine duringuse. The observations were recorded with each configuration andtabulated in TABLES A-D below.

The mist evacuation observed was graded as follows:

-   -   1: All remains clear.    -   2: Some mist rises ½ way above belt, clears quickly.    -   3: Mist can reach the roof of the portioner housing momentarily        but clears quickly.    -   4: Mist is constantly in the air, visibility to the back of the        housing is passable, the high pressure connections/valves all        remain clear.    -   5: Mist is heavy in the housing, difficult to see the back of        the housing, the high pressure connections/valves remain clear        enough to see.

It can be appreciated that the tabulated data shown below is for aspecific portioner configuration in certain conditions (i.e., staticpressure, air/mist density, waterjet pressure, etc.). Similarexperimentation may be done to select a fan capacity for a differentportioner configuration and/or different conditions. In that regard, theresults tabulated below provide a baseline recommendation for fanselection and capacity. Based on the differences in portionerconfiguration and/or other conditions (such as the static pressure,air/mist density, waterjet pressure, etc.), an initial fan capacity maybe selected and tested for mist evacuation. The criteria for each grade,as outlined above, may be used to identify the optimal fan capacity forone or more configurations.

Experiment A. No Sound Baffles or Diverter Panels

PUMP PSI 100% CFM 135% CFM 170% CFM 220% CFM 45000 PSI 2 1 55000 PSI 2 165000 PSI 3 2 75000 PSI 3 1 85000 PSI 3 2-3

Experiment B. Sound Baffles Only

PUMP PSI 100% CFM 135% CFM 170% CFM 220% CFM 45000 PSI 2 2 55000 PSI 3 265000 PSI 3 3 2 75000 PSI 3 2-3 2 85000 PSI 3 3

Experiment C. Diverter Panels Only

PUMP PSI 100% CFM 135% CFM 170% CFM 220% CFM 45000 PSI 1 1 55000 PSI 265000 PSI 2 1-2 75000 PSI 4 3 85000 PSI 4-5 4 3

Experiment D. Sound Raffles and Diverter Panels

PUMP PSI 100% CFM 135% CFM 170% CFM 220% CFM 45000 PSI 2 1 55000 PSI 2 165000 PSI 3 2 75000 PSI 4 3 85000 PSI 5 4 3

As can be appreciated from the Tables shown above, the chosen exhaustfan (the PLA30ST4P model fan available from Plastec Ventilation Inc., ofBradenton Fla.) was suitable for evacuating mist in the above-notedportioner station configurations (i.e., using four waterjet cutters,sounds baffles and/or diverter panels) at various different waterpressure levels using an appropriate fan speed to create the measuredCFM output.

Regarding some specific observations, in the configurations using lowerpump pressures (e.g, 45000-65000 PSI), the use of diverter panelsminimally affects the mist evacuation. However, all the configurationsyielded acceptable levels of visibility and mist evacuation (e.g, thewindows remained substantially clear, the visibility to high pressurefluid connections and waterjets remained good, etc.) At higher pumppressures (e.g, 75000-85000 PSI), the diverter panels actually appearedto limit the clearing of mist in the cut house, which could be overcomewith higher fan speeds if possible. The use of sound baffles helpreduced the noise levels (not tabulated for simplicity) while notsubstantially adversely affecting the mist evacuation at both lower andhigher fan speeds.

While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, itwill be appreciated that various changes can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A mist management system for a processing machine having a portioningstation configured to portion a workpiece within an enclosed portionerhousing having a first side wall extending along the portioning station,a second side wall, at least one hood portion between the first sidewall and the second side wall, and at least one end wall between thefirst side wall and the second side wall, using at least one liquid jetcutter and a conveyor configured to move the workpiece in a longitudinaldirection beneath the at least one liquid jet cutter, wherein mist isgenerated within the enclosed portioner housing during operation of theat least one liquid jet cutter, the mist management system comprising: atray secured within the enclosed portioner housing beneath the at leastone liquid jet cutter and the conveyor, the tray being downwardly angledand configured to direct a waterjet of the liquid jet cutter toward alow pressure plenum chamber positioned external to the first side wallof the enclosed portioner housing.
 2. The mist management system ofclaim 1, wherein the tray has a downward angle of between 10 degrees and20 degrees relative to horizontal.
 3. The mist management system ofclaim 1, wherein the low pressure plenum chamber is configured towithdraw mist from the enclosed portioner housing through one or moreorifices through the first side wall of the enclosed portioner housing.4. The mist management system of claim 1, further comprising a pluralityof baffles positioned beneath the at least one liquid jet cutter and theconveyor, the plurality of baffles extending across a width of theconveyor, each baffle of the plurality of baffles having a length thatis parallel to the longitudinal direction and being arranged at an angleoffset from horizontal.
 5. The mist management system of claim 1,wherein the tray comprises a lip defined along an edge of the tray. 6.The mist management system of claim 5, wherein the lip extends inwardlyfrom the edge of the tray.